Stiletto Woman Magazine (May 2011)

Real Women • Real business • Real Life • Real Women • Real business • Real Life May/June 2011 Volume 3 Issue 3

Celebrating real women in business and life

CHERYL BURKE:

America’s Dancing Sweetheart

PLUS:

Valerie Smaldone: Meet this record breaking five-time Billboard magazine award winner

SMOKING! Yes, I Said Smoking!: One woman’s comedic journey combating the health risks of smoking WWW.STILETTOWOMAN.COM • INFO@STILETTOWOMAN.COM

stileWttooman

Volume 3 Issue 3

May/jun e 2011

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On the cover

K. L. Wallace

Teresa Bowman

Emma Looney

Disclaimer: Stiletto Woman and its editors have made every effort to provide accurate and timely information. The publisher, contributors, editors, and other related associates do not assume responsibility for information that is incorrect or omitted. Stiletto Woman disclaims neglect, liability, and damages as a result of erroneous information. We do not express endorsement or validity of any company, website, or blogsite.

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www.stilettowoman.com www.stilettowomanmedia.com Volume 3, Issue 3 (2011) ISSN: 1947-9999 (Print) ISSN: 1948-0008 (Online) 2

Zoe (Chic & Sassy)

Teresa Bowman Leslie Walker

T. Hardiman Janet Allebre Amy Barnes Nicole Greer

Susan Porter Kimberley Hostetler Maureen Francisco Cheryl Burke

From the Publisher I’m excited to bring this power-packed issue to our readers. Our cover feature, Cheryl Burke, best known for her two-time championship wins on the ABC hit television show, Dancing with the Stars, reminds us that perseverance is essential in accomplishing any goal. Her dream began at a young age. Through her talent and steadfastness, she has become one of the most recognized women in professional ballroom dancing.

In addition to that, Valerie Smaldone is no exception. Similar to Burke, she’s been able to withstand unbeatable odds, and her five Billboard magazine awards, in conjunction with other accolades, are the result of the passion she injects into everything she does.

As always, we bring you more personal stories, professional profiles, and advice on solo entrepreneurship—giving you valuable and inspiring content for today’s contemporary woman!

Until next time,

Karlena L. Wallace

Celebrating women in business and life.

Stiletto Woman

features Cover Story

CHERYL BURKE:

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Cheryl Burke America’s Dancing Sweetheart

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America’s Dancing Sweetheart

by Maureen Francisco

SMOKING! Yes, I Said Smoking!

by Kae Moore

FAB TO FITNESS WITH AMY: Too Fat to be Fit

by Amy Barnes

VALERIE SMALDONE: The Show Must Go On

by Maureen Francisco

MEET LYNETTE LEWIS:

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INTERVIEW

The Show Must Go On Interview with Valerie Smaldone

By Maureen Francisco

» Interview with five-time Billboard

magazine award winner, Valerie Smaldone, who held the #1 position in the New York radio market for more than two decades and has more than 1000 voice-over credits to her name.

Maureen Francisco: Is this a good time Val? Valerie Smaldone: Yeah, I’m at a T-Mobile store about to fix my phone. You don’t realize how incredibly tied we are to these devices … you know … it’s crazy.

MF: O h my gosh. If I don’t have my iPhone with me, I have no idea where I’m supposed to be. It IS my life.

VS: I know. It’s awful. I really wanted to wait until I got the phone call from you, and then I’ll go ahead and deal with it. So, are you ready?

MF: Y es! Absolutely! So I read so much about you. You are a very accomplished woman.

Tell us when you first knew you could make a living using your voice.

VS: Oh wow, that was a long time ago. I started in this industry at a very young age. I was in college. I knew I could make a living when I first got my voice-over job, really by accident. I saw something posted on the bulletin board at the college radio station.

I don’t remember what it was … some narration for a college radio station, and I got the job. And, I believe it was [a] $25 dollar check. And, I remember xeroxing the check and saying “Wow, if I could do one, I could do more.”

MF: S o this [being a voice-over talent] totally happened by accident. It wasn’t something that you decided at 13, “I want to do voiceovers”, or “I want to be a radio host.”

VS: Anything having to do with performance.

That’s a huge term because anything you

do in this field is performance. On the radio, it’s performance. You’re developing a personality. You’re developing a style. It really stemmed, Maureen, from wanting to be an actress at the age of seven. I fell in love with theater; that was the road I was going to take. Anything to do, with performance, media, getting out there—that’s what pushed me forward in my life.

MF: And, you are EVERYWHERE. VS: I have a lot of different careers now jammed into one life. I teach how to do voice overs. I teach how to be on the radio, that’s one career. I do corporate presentations, that’s another career. I am a professional emcee host … speaker, that’s another career. So, I’m used to juggling many different things at this point.

MF: D o you find one of your many careers more rewarding than the other?

VS: Whether you’re on a stage with 3000 people in the audience or a very small group, I think when you see recognition in people’s eyes that they really connect with the material that you are bringing to them, that’s rewarding. When I see that recognition in people’s eyes, no matter what I’m doing, I feel rewarded.

MF: Y ou’ve done some rewarding projects.

For one, you were on the radio in New York City for decades, holding the #1 spot on New York’s 106.7 FM.That’s pretty remarkable in my book. What’s next?

VS: I turned down the contract at the job that I had for so many years, and decided to do something else. What you do is start again because there’s really no place to go.

[Laugh.]

You are so tied to a project or a product like the radio station that I was working for. I was so recognizable with that particular radio

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I think when you see recognition in people’s eyes that they really connect with the material that you are bringing to them, that’s rewarding.

“

station that it works against you because they feel that you are too recognizable with that media property so you have to start again. That’s what I’ve been doing. I’ve been creating my own projects and environment that’s satisfying to me; because to try and recreate [what I did on 106.7 FM] that is really virtually impossible.

MF: It’s important to be able to evolve then.

VS: If you look at my life in the last little while, I went from a traditional radio host in terrestrial media, meaning the radio you turn on easily and to jumping into internet radio (Valerie’s New York on www.wor710.com) where there’s a whole new world that needs to be explored and validated. So, I want to brand myself as that personality that made the switch and found the niche in this new kind of delivery method for radio. Over the years, I’ve interviewed thousands of people with tremendous note in all kinds of fields, mainly celebrities and entertainers.

MF: So who was your favorite interview?

VF: R od Stewart and I had a very rocky beginning because the first time I interviewed him he was not pleasant at all.

[Laugh.] I always try to be conversational, and I strayed from his record at that time, and I asked him about soccer because he’s

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a huge soccer fan. And, he said to me, “That is not relevant to this interview. That has nothing to do with my record.” I was just taken aback by that. I found out later that day that he was sick, and he was just in a cranky mood.

The next time I saw him and interviewed him again, he was delightful and playful and flirting. We had the best time. And, from that, he just loved me and requested that I interview him for an A&E special. He fired the guy that was doing it, and said “Bring that girl back.” That was my favorite experience the way that turned around.

MF: You have a gift of making people comfortable. I listen to you on Valerie’s New York [right before I plug the latest reality show castings calls.] I’m impressed with how you converse with your guests.

VS: Thank you.

MF: Y ou’ve touched upon the importance of making connections, branding, and reinventing yourself. That’s something readers of Stiletto Woman Magazine will appreciate. Any last piece of advice?

VS: The one word I give myself credit for is the word resiliency. There’s nothing wrong with feeling down. There’s nothing wrong with going through that dark time because you almost need to do that to get to the other side. Sometimes you have to mourn.

Sometimes you just wake up and say “Okay, I have another idea.” Always look for that other idea, the other side, the other answer, the other option. There’s never one answer.

There’s never one option. There are so many ways out of things today. And really going deep inside and asking “What do I have to offer?” “What is my essence?” Don’t beat yourself up when you’re feeling down.

To learn more about Valerie, visit her website www.valeriesmaldone.com or listen to her 6PM Eastern Time on www.wor710.com. It’s available as a podcast on demand anytime, and its part of the WOR Talk Radio Network.

www.lulus.com

Photos: lulus.com

BUSINESS

Is the Solopreneur Expert the New Car Salesman?

By K.L. Wallace

As solopreneurs and micro business owners, we often scope out what the “experts” suggest. We subscribe to lists, read blogs, attend teleseminars and conferences, take courses, follow tweets, and friend on Facebook. We listen intently as they speak about making more connections, appealing to larger audiences, and of course, making more money.

Let’s face it; there are times in business when you will likely want to make more money. But the money issue is sometimes unsettling.

There’s a growing trend of solopreneur leaders who advocate: • Sell it like this to make six figures • Package it like that to make a million • Build it this way to get your string of high paying clients And then there's … Oh by the way, purchase my $5000 product so you can be a “better” entrepreneur.

To me, this sets up a level of superiority that says, “If you don’t make six or seven figures in your business, then you are doing something wrong” – OR – “Don’t be content with making less than six figures because that’s not good business.”

I know this is not the intention in some cases, but that’s the perception.

“Consumers are likely to connect with only 20% of your products.”

And I have to say, as a person who didn’t just jump off the entrepreneur boat; I find it condescending at times how we’re marketed to. There are times when I truly feel like I’m in a used car lot with the shifty salesman trying to convince me why the most expense vehicle is the perfect fit for me.

As an entrepreneur, I very well know that MARKETING is key – RELATIONSHIPS are key – SERVICE is key (and certainly NOT everyone knows these things, nor how to do them well), so I totally get the importance of doing good business to support each of these and other critical elements.

BUT … the elitist mindset is grossly misdirected.

Maybe it’s me. And maybe I’m rebelling a bit here (which I don’t mind doing occasionally), but I have never been one to follow for the sake of following. That’s just not my character at all. So, in essence it doesn’t matter who you have endorsing you; if I don’t feel the right connection, then the sale or relationship may never materialize.

And let’s be honest, the “expert” needs clients just as much as the client needs insight—remember

‘‘

My suggestion to the solopreneur expert:

Take your own advice…”

“clicking thru” an email message is one thing; turning a prospect into a loyal retained client is something entirely different.

Here’s a few pointers the “experts” forget: 1) No one wants to hear constant (daily) marketing and money making jargon 2) No one enjoys exaggerated claims that are clearly designed to peak interest Which brings me to this point: No one can GUARANTEE sales.

No one can promise a certain number OR type of client. No one can give surety to the amount of money made in revenue—and even IF their testimonies say it can be done; that’s just not sensible for everyone.

I must mention there are some who “get it”, and know how to market without being intrusive or disconcerting. I know of one expert who does it right. And when thinking about it, I have never heard her boast about her claims. In fact, I’ve never heard her talk about money (at least not in the overhyped kind of way). She is extremely successful—a coach and bestselling author of several books all released by a major publishing house with worldwide acclaim.

What I’ve noticed is that she’s always her authentic self—she’s not her programs—she’s not her revenue streams. Her personality, wisdom, and candor speak for itself. I personally would buy just about any product she provides or endorses. She is the ideal display of the 80/20 rule of marketing. I get regular emails from her, yes, but 80% of what she shares is about her knowledge and the relationship she builds with people like you and I. The other 20% is about her services & products and how we can benefit from them.

Consumers are likely to connect with only 20% of your products (which will usually render the most revenue); therefore the 80% that you put into it (good, bad, or indifferent) directly impacts your bottom line. Your activities (NOT the product themselves) make up the most of your return.

Great strategy!

My suggestion to the solopreneur expert: Take your own advice and stop selling so intrusively and start really connecting. Doing it the other way around is off-putting. Practice the 80/20 rule of marketing.

Eventually you won’t have to shout how wonderful your products are.

Just share your wisdom and we’ll naturally attract to it.

My suggestion to the new solopreneur: Spend a good amount of time researching to find your own understanding. Determine what you want to do, hone in on it, and then soak up all you can from a couple of experts who provide services specific to your niche. Too many strategies can be confusing. Look for value-driven solutions that are practical and coincide directly with your vision. *Marketing Note: Up-selling, sticky titles, free content, and other marketing tactics are not uncommon, and therefore in general, aren’t of concern and can be beneficial when used appropriately and effectively.

To learn about the 80/20 Rule of Marketing and business relationships, listen to our podcast interview with marketing expert, Susan Gunelius, Ph.D.

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A Stilettopreneur is a woman rockin’ business her way. She’s on fire for her business, and not playing it safe!

9 to 5 Just Doesn’t Suit My Stilettos › by K.L. Wallace

COMING MAY 2011 StilettopreneursRock.com

COVER STORY

Cheryl Burke

Âť Two-time champion of Dancing with the Stars

Photo courtesy of Charles Bush Studio

Cheryl Burke: America’s Dancing Sweetheart Millions know Cheryl Burke dancing in sassy costumes on Dancing with the Stars. But we learn there are many layers to this savvy entrepreneur.

by Maureen Francisco

D

espite what some might think, Cheryl Burke’s rise to celebrity and acclaimed professional dancer hasn’t been an overnight success.

Her love of dance started more than 18 years ago. Though she is best known for her twotime championship wins on the hit ABC television show Dancing with the Stars, there are many more accolades to her credit.

At 13 Burke took to the competition stage to fulfill her dream of one day becoming a professional dancer. She went on to win several championships including the Ohio Star Ball Rising Star competition, the San Francisco Open Latin and World Cup Professional Rising Star Latin competitions.

As a celebrity starlet, the world has come to adore Burke. Since her appearance on Dancing with the Stars she has ventured in new directions and taken on new opportunities. In 2008 she launched the Cheryl Burke Dance Studio and guest starred on the Disney Channel series The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Now at age 26, she has achieved her childhood dream, but by no means is she slowing down there.

In this interview, you’ll learn about what Burke is up to these days. She talks about her entrepreneurial projects and mentions her new book, Dancing Lessons: How I Found Passion and Potential on the Dance Floor and in Life (WILEY, 2011). In this memoir she takes you on a journey through her childhood years into the world of competitive ballroom dancing. *At the time this issue went to print, Cheryl Burke and her celebrity partner Chris Jericho of worldwide wrestling fame, was in Season 12 of Dancing with the Stars. We’ll be watching to see her capture a third win!

Maureen Francisco: First off, thanks so much for spending time with Stiletto Woman Magazine. People are intrigued by your personal life. Are you single?

Cheryl Burke: I am!

MF: W hen would you have time for a boyfriend? Dancing with the Stars is keeping you busy, among other things. With two championship titles under your belt, tell us, do you get to choose your partner?

How are dancers and stars paired?

CB: I don’t get to choose my partner and sometimes, on paper, the partner that I’d choose for myself wouldn’t be the best partner for me in the long run. The producers really know best in this circumstance.

MF: Y ou’ve transformed people with some or no dancing experience.

How much practice goes into preparing for a season?

CB: Before the season starts, it’s all mental preparation.

MF: W hen you’re not on the hit show, what is your typical day like?

CB: L ots of work in the other aspects of my life and the businesses and companies that I’m involved in. I spend a lot of time on the computer.

MF: I’m sure you can’t help but notice all the stories about you while you are online. You are in the media often, especially when it comes to your body. You are beautiful and healthy. Sometimes, do you wonder, what’s the appeal about the media constantly spotlighting your size and weight?

CB: I get that negative stories have a lot more longevity than positive ones, but in America we have an incredible fascination with weight and beauty.

MF: A nd, you talk candidly about your body and weight issues in your new book, Dancing Lessons. What inspired you to write a memoir?

What message do you want people to take away?

CB: I’d been asked before to write a book and didn’t want to be just another reality star with a tell all. I really felt that I had something to say and wanted to inspire people to reach for their dreams. If there’s one lesson to be learned from my book, it’s that as long as you have hopes and dreams and aspirations, you can overcome any challenge that life throws at you.

MF: Speaking of overcoming challenges, in your book, you also share about the time you were molested by someone you knew well. What made you decide to include that dark time in your life?

CB: W hat happened to me as a child has shaped who I am as an adult.

I didn't feel like I was actually telling my story, if I didn't include it.

MF: Y ou’ve brought awareness to a subject some people may not feel comfortable sharing. At the same time, you’ve inspired millions of your fans, showing them you have resilience. What’s next for Cheryl?

CB: I have a shoe line coming out this spring with HSN, I’m developing a clothing line with Jazzercise and hopefully I’ll find some time to sit on a beach and relax for a second!

To learn more about Cheryl Burke, visit her online at www.strictlycheryl.com.

Her book, Dancing Lessons: How I Found Passion and Potential on the Dance Floor and in Life is published by WILEY, and is available wherever books are sold.

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Makeup Artist: Katie C, www.wix.com/makeupisthekey/katie-makeup Photographer: Scot Woodman, www.ScotWoodmanPhoto.com

beauty is i n t h e eye o f t h e beho l der

Model: Anna Lark Makeup artist: Katie C. Photographer: Scot Woodman

HEALTH

bringing fab to FITNESS amy barnes, fitness expert & personal trainer health and wellness columnist

I spent the weekend surrounded by several hundred of the world’s most fit physiques. They were a group of dedicated women who have sculpted their bodies to look “perfect.” A bunch of zero body fat, lean models! What a great weekend. Some of you will expect me to say that I hated every single one of them. On the contrary, I wrapped myself in joy of the truth.

I will never look like them because I used to weigh nearly 500lbs. I do, however, take comfort in the fact that I control my fitness level and body image. So, I am here to remind you ladies, that you are never too fat to be fit!

Webster’s Dictionary defines “fit” as a person in good physical condition or in good health. What does a fit person look like exactly?

Does that mean that you have to be a size 2 or 6% body fat? Over the years, society has done a disservice to women by defining fit as these seemingly unattainable images plastered on magazines, television, and internet.

Three years ago I still weighed in at 340lbs. I walked past the cardio room in the gym every day in order to see what kind of fun was taking place on the other side of the door. There was a class getting ready to start. I got pulled into my first kickboxing class and my life would never be the same.

I was afraid the day I took my first class. I stood at the back of the class so no one else could see me. I really thought I wasn’t fit enough to take this class. “People will laugh at me.” “What if people stare at me?” Quickly, the class was over. I did it. I made it. I didn’t die. I loved every minute of it!

From that day forward, I went to every kickboxing class. I loved this class because it was outside of my comfort zone and I could always hide behind the heavy bags hanging from the ceiling if I was feeling self conscious. The best part about the class was I could work on my fitness level, without having to set foot on the damn elliptical machines.

Three months passed and I began to get through the entire class.

I was getting in better shape.

Suddenly the instructor was

moving, and wasn’t going to be teaching anymore. There was a notice on the door stating that the class was being canceled due to no other certified instructors. NO! They can’t take this class away.

I went home and looked online to learn how I could become a certified instructor. Two months later, I walked to the front desk and said, “Are you still looking for a kickboxing instructor?” “Yes ma’am, but we haven’t found one yet.” I grabbed a folder out of my gym bag, and slapped a piece of paper on the counter. “You have one now.”

In that instant, I moved from the back corner of the classroom to front and center in front of the entire class. With enthusiasm, music and motivation, my class grew from 5 people to a waiting list signup sheet. The experience was life changing, but not without trials. I remember the comments that I would get from some of the gym members. “Are you kidding me? How is someone FAT teaching this class? I’m not taking this class.”

“There she is the FAT aerobics instructor.”

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“Come on man, we can get a better workout from your grandma.”

I would normally just turn away from the hate to avoid anyone seeing my eyes swell with tears.

Standing at nearly 260lbs in the front of the packed aerobics room, I set out to teach the best kickboxing class my students ever received. That was my goal every time we started. Sweaty high fives were given to each student as they exited the classroom. The words on the way out of the class are the ones I try and remember the most.

“Great class today. That was awesome!”

The moral of my story is pretty simple. You are never too fat to be fit. Fitness is not defined by the pictures on the magazines or the images we see on television. Our fitness level is something that we can control and we must control.

I may not be a size 2, or 6% body fat but that doesn’t mean that I am not healthy. We all come in different shapes and sizes. We all want to look our best.

Who is to say what your best is. A healthy body should not only be determined by how you look on the outside. It is about embracing who you are and how you feel about yourself on the inside.

Remember, you control your fitness level and body image.

Society should not determine whether you feel or look fit.

Embrace your body and strive to be the best you can be. I will not compare myself to anyone else anymore. I am here to remind you ladies, that you are never too fat to be fit!

Three ways to improve your fitness levels, ladies. We spend so much time obsessed with the way we look, when we could be obsessed with improving our fitness levels.

› Take a class: Don’t be afraid to take a class you have never taken. Step outside your comfort zone!

Spin class, Zumba, or Yoga, are great classes to take. It sure beats getting on the treadmill!

› S ign up for an event: Rather than focusing on the all important number on the scale; set a fitness goal that forces you to track your fitness level.

You can do anything from training for a 5k walk to competing in a triathlon.

› S tart a neighborhood walking club or

bootcamp: There is nothing like working out with friends and family. They help keep you accountable and you will all get FIT together!

About the Writer

As a fitness expert and mother of two, Amy understands firsthand the challenges of balancing healthy habits with the demands of a busy life. She is a fitness competitor and lifestyle and fitness coach who’s been featured in various media outlets from Oxygen Magazine to NBCs Today Show. After losing 340lbs, Amy wants to give back and help others live healthier lives. www.iofitnesstoday.com

COMMENTARY

SMOKING! SMOKING! SMOKING! SMOKING! › Yes, I Said Smoking!

By Kae Moore

are pointing and laughing right now, all superior with your “I never gave in to peer pressure” mentality; making those nasty little nose turned up faces as I walk by. Commenting how I smell like an ashtray and what really decent guy would want to kiss someone who smells like THAT. Oh yeah. And YOU too, you self righteous former smokers. You’re even worse. You sit in judgment spouting your mantra; IF I COULD DO IT; SO CAN YOU. And let’s not forget the government’s position.

All smokers have been relegated to the position of pariah in our society—forced to stand in little groups in the rain and snow and cold, smoking our little cigarettes while people drive by and stare at us as if we’re two-headed lemmings following each other to our early deaths; paying obscene taxes on a product that only we consume—as attempts are made to limit our smoking outside, or in our homes, or in our cars; proposing possible criminal action for smoking in front of our children or grandchildren.

Where’s the Uncle Sam poster: “I WANT YOU TO

QUIT SMOKING TODAY?” Or Rosie the Riveter with her pumped up arm saying, “YOU CAN DO IT!”

‘‘

Where’s the Uncle Sam poster: ‘I WANT YOU TO QUIT SMOKING TODAY?’

‘‘

› I know you professional non-smokers out there

I admit. I succumbed to the pressure. I was surrounded by smokers—my parents, my friend’s parents, major celebrities, athletes, strangers on the street, my teachers. Pregnant women! And the ads; let’s not forget the ads. My GOD, how could I NOT smoke?

We had just moved into a new neighborhood when I started the 7th grade. I was the “new girl” and it was easier to wonder what kind of person I was rather than come and talk to

me. But the smokers, yeah the smokers were willing to accept me into their little group. All I had to do was act like I’d been smoking for years. I would light up the cigarette, suppress the desire to cough up my lung and hope the green pallor of my face would not be noticed.

And immediately my status changed from new girl to “super cool girl.”

Cigarettes were all of .35 cents when I started smoking. That was less than half my lunch money, and now that I was smoking, I wasn’t as hungry anymore. There were no laws to prohibit stores from selling me cigarettes. I could walk right into the local 7-11 [like the ultra cool grownup I felt I was becoming] and saunter up to the cashier and ask for my favorite brand; which of course was Marlboro Red. That’s what everyone smoked.

And none of us were aware of those pesky health issues. No one talked about the connection between smoking and lung diseases.

There was no communication about low birth weight babies with potential lung dysfunctions.

There was no warning label on the side of the pack. It was just the ads. And us. And the overwhelming desire to be cool.

I have tried to quit. I’ve worn the patch. I’ve taken Welbutrin. I’ve sucked on lozenges. I’ve chewed the gum. I’ve taken Chantix. I’ve been to the stop smoking classes. I’ve done them all at once; a walking, talking, smoking cessation program! And for whatever reason, I can’t quit.

Call it a defect in my moral character. Call it lack of willpower. Truth be told. I don’t WANT to quit. I still enjoy smoking. That first smoke in the morning with my coffee—that first deep drag right after a meal—that sensation of calmness when I’m stressed. Plus, let’s face it. I don’t want to get any heavier than I already am. I’m fighting an uphill battle with my weight due to a thyroid problem. I already eat when I’m depressed. Do I really need to add to that?

And believe me. I know the consequences.

I have those lovely smoker’s lips; those tiny lines around my mouth that make wearing

lipstick a thing of the past. The wrinkles in my face are just a little more deeply etched. My clothes smell horrible. The walls in my house are stained. I go through bottles and bottles of Febreeze and burn candles by the dozen to mask the smell.

And finally. There’s my health. I have COPD and emphysema. I can barely make it downstairs in the mornings without having to stop and catch my breath. I can no longer take a nice relaxing walk with my dog. I have handfuls of inhalers that I must use every day. I carry a nebulizer with me wherever I go. I have a disabled tag for my truck. And I’m THIS close to having to use one of those motorized carts at the store.

And the worst? Even with all the education and lectures; my daughters smoke. They watch me struggle for every breath and yet they light up.

For me, there is no happy ending to this story.

Perhaps it can serve as a warning; that whole “if I can help just one person” thing. Maybe I’ll quit one day. I may try that new pretend cigarette.

It delivers nicotine as you inhale and you exhale evaporated water like smoke. For those not aware, it only takes 72 hours for the addictive qualities of nicotine to be removed from your system. The true addiction is the action of smoking—reaching for a smoke at specific times is what I crave; not just the nicotine.

Either way, do me a small favor? Try not to stare quite so hard when you see me smoking. Try to inhibit that desire to lecture me about the evils of smoking. Try and see me as a person struggling with this addiction.

I mean, you could always focus on the fact that I eat red meat that I grill over carcinogenic briquettes.

About the Writer:

Kae Moore is a self-proclaimed “eclectic” empty nester residing in Maryland. She raised three daughters as a single parent and has five grandchildren. She’s a published writer with a penchant for comedic tragedy, which she believes suits her perfectly. She can make you laugh, and yet, have you stand in the core of her emotions.

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WOMAN IN BUSINESS:

Meet Lynette Lewis

L

ynette has a 25-year corporate career in PR and marketing. She’s a speaker, business consultant, and author of Climbing the Ladder in Stilettos. She has been inspiring men and women on issues of vision and purpose for over 20 years.

She travels extensively in the U.S. and internationally, addressing audiences ranging from 15 to 15,000. She is one of John Maxwell’s Maximum Impact Speakers.

A frequent panelist and often-quoted expert on career development, marketing, and branding, Lynette’s eclectic career has taken her from PR and fundraising at a major university to the senior marketing leader for the National Women’s Initiative at Deloitte & Touche in New York City.

She has appeared frequently on radio and television programs including The Today Show and Martha Stewart Living Radio. Her first corporate book, Climbing the Ladder in Stilettos, has received recognition from numerous sources including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, and The Dallas Morning News.

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STILETTOLOGY How did you decide this venture was right for you?

Knowing people are motivated to find their purpose in life and live their dreams.

What’s your motivation professionally?

Helping people see how their talents, gifts, and dreams can turn into reality.

If you could be anyone else or have another career, who or what would it be?

I would be Kathie Lee Gifford and have my own TV talk show!

Tell us what attracts you online as a business owner or consumer?

What keeps you inspired personally?

Downloadable tools to use and customer reviews that validate their value.

My walk with God, my family, reading great articles and books.

What advice would you give other entrepreneurs or career women?

What makes you or your business innovative?

Don’t wait for permission, start living your dreams NOW, do my 1-1-1 Strategy which is taking one step, once a week, toward one of your dreams.

I’m building an online community: www.lynettelewiscommunity.com, where people can connect from around the world on common interests.

How do you help others?

By mentoring, providing online mentoring tools.

How do you define success?

Doing what you love and serving others.

What have you learned from your journey that can be shared with others?

I have learned that there is not one magic moment when fulfillment comes, but rather a journey of increasing satisfaction that stems from aligning your personal purpose with all you have in your life right now. The pursuit of purpose and your dreams is the fulfilling part, not just reaching some apex point of fulfillment when everything is perfect.

As a client, customer, or business professional, what can we expect from you and your business?

Tools to motivate you to live your purpose more fully, to know what it is and how to align all the people, experiences, and resources you have to live with greater satisfaction.

What is a valuable resource you can’t live without?

My personal walk with God and the wisdom and peace I get from that.

What’s the secret to your success today?

Lots of perseverance, hard work, a willingness to take risks but calculated ones, not waiting for permission.

What are your personal goals – are you reaching them, why/why not?

I have many goals, at least one for every area of my life, and yes I’m reaching them by doing the 1-1-1 Strategy I mention above. Right now my main goal and focus is our national campaign to stop child sex trafficking. We have rallied 40 cities, hundreds of college campuses and people around the nation to help fund special former military ops teams who build cases against predators that will result in convictions. Few know how widespread this issue is in the U.S., for more information visit www.sctnow.org.

Given what you know now, would you make the same choices about your business or career path, why/why not?

Yes I would. In reflection, I see how each job I’ve had, though not all were fulfilling, has prepared me for an aspect that I need for the dreams I’m pursuing now.

Everything in life has a purpose and value, both suffering and joy, tears and triumphs. We need all of it to grow and learn and become who we’re meant to be.

Where can we find you online? http://www.lynettelewis.com http://www.lynettelewiscommunity.com

Whether you’re stuck in a dead-end job or are living the career of your dreams, Climbing the Ladder in Stilettos is your go-to guide for life as a woman in the working world.

SW S tiletto Woman

w w w. s t i l e t t o w o m a n . c o m

May/June 2011